In not-so-silly season news, Red Bull have extended their contract with engine supplier Renault for a further five years [BBC], McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh says Jenson Button will definitely be their driver next year [BBC] (the only sticking point seems to be how long that contract will be), Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo says the team’s failure to challenge for the title will not cost Stefano Domenicali his job as team boss [BBC] and Jarno Trulli will drive for Team Lotus in 2012 after the team extended the Italian’s contract [BBC].

In other news, Robert Kubica plans return to driving in October [BBC], which is great news.

Meanwhile, back at Monza… NR is starting on the prime (medium compound) tyre whereas everyone ahead of him will be on the option (soft) compound. Red Bull have geared SV’s car “so that he will be competitive on a heavy fuel load” says team boss Christian Horner; this means he’ll hit his top speed sooner, but it’s a lower top speed than his competitors (about 20km/h slower on the main straight). And don’t forget that MW is the only front-runner not to take a new engine for this race.

Air temperature 29°C; track 41°C; wind 1.8m/s; humidity 48%

BBC report that NR has had to take a different set of prime tyres because the ones he qualified on are blistered.

SV leads everyone away on the formation lap Looks like BS is starting on the medium compound tyre
Expectation is for a 2-stop strategy
SV takes up his grid spot and waits for everyone else to do the same; it’s a long, hot wait

01/53: FA, LH and SV alongside into Turn 1
FA leads into Retifilio
Collision towards the back of the field
Safety Car deployed to clear up the mess in Turn 1
Out are VL, NR, VP, DR; did BR just beach his car trying to turn it around?

02[SC]: FA, SV, LH, MS, FM, JB, MW, PD
KK pits – was he involved in the accident? New front wing
Replay shows an HRT (VL?) hurtling backwards down the grass and collecting a bunch of cars in the middle of Retifilio
JD pits too, as does RB
JD retires

03[SC]: BS pits
SC in at the end of this lap
DR pits and is pushed into his garage

“HRT’s Vitantonio Liuzzi has been penalised by the Italian race stewards following his accident at the start of Sunday’s Monza race. Liuzzi receives a five-place grid penalty for the next round in Singapore.”
[source: FIA]